Powers Building

Welcome to Powers Building

The Powers Building has enjoyed a history as one of Rochester's most remarkable commercial structures. Daniel Powers began construction of his building in 1865 and after it's initial completion in 1868 he would undertake a series of expansions and enlargements as he sought to maintain its claim as the tallest building in Rochester.

Construction of the building utilized steel framing with a cast iron and ornamental stone facade. This revolutionary method of construction was employed to create what was then billed as a fireproof building. The building was the first in upstate New York to have a passenger elevator (then called a vertical railroad), gas illumination and marble floors. In 1861 it became the first commercial structure in Rochester to have electricity, utilizing its own power generating boilers.

In 1990 the building was acquired and underwent a major renovation that not only replaced all of the mechanical systems bringing the building to a true Class A level but more importantly in doing so restored all of the original grandeur and finishes of the building. The renovation earned numerous architectural awards and the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.